Response to Trump’s Federal Agents: NY Governor Cuomo talks on phone and NYC Mayor sends Letter

President Trump has recently spoken out about sending Federal Law Enforcement agents to help control, what he calls, the mess in liberal democrat led cities and states.

In response to statements made by Trump, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio vowed to stand up to the President and today released a letter addressed to Attorney General William Barr and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf.

In addition during today’s press briefing, Governor Cuomo spoke of a conversation he had yesterday with Trump.

“But what’s happening in New York, I love New York – Look at what’s going on over there. The woman who was shot because she said, “could you please not light off firecrackers”, and they turned around and shot her 8 times and she died. That’s not our civilization, that’s not about us – and then, the police are afraid to do anything,” said Mr. Trump in one of his latest statements.

“I know New York very well, I know the police very well, New York’s Finest – and the fact is, they’re restricted from doing anything. They can’t do anything.”

“Well, I’m going to do something. That I can tell you, because we’re not going to let New York and Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit and Baltimore – and all of these – Oakland is a mess. We’re not going to let this happen in our country. All run by liberal democrats.”

Governor Cuomo today:

“I spoke to the President yesterday. The President had suggested that he was considering sending federal agents to New York among other cities – New York City. To deal with what he saw as an increase in crime problem. I spoke to the President about it. I said that I was also concerned about the increase in crime in New York City and that people in New York City are concerned about the increase in crime. I also said that at this point I think situation can be managed by the state to the extent anything has to be done, and that I am totally prepared to do that, that there was no need for federal involvement. If the federal government had any concern about a federal asset that they thought needed to be protected, I was more than willing to protect any federal asset that the federal government had a bona fide concern for. And we left the conversation that if the President had any additional concerns, we would talk before he took any action.”

“So, that was a good conversation. And again, he expresses concern about the crime in New York City. People in New York are concerned about crime. They are very familiar with what is going on. The State is willing and able to do what it needs to do; it falls within the jurisdiction of the state. The city is a creature of state law and the state understands and respects the constitution of the United States, and we have no need at this time for any assistance from the federal government. Again, if the President has additional thoughts, we would talk before any action was taken.”

Below would be NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s words during today’s Press Conference followed by the words of the letter he sent out.

“And we cannot allow that here in New York City, nor anywhere else in the country. I want to be very, very clear that we will not allow this to happen in our city. And this could only make things worse,” said the Mayor this morning. “And I’ve sent this letter today to the Attorney General and to the acting Homeland Security Secretary, making clear formally, that the presence of these federal officials, these federal officers is not welcome here in New York City and is not needed here. I’m joining also with dozens of other mayors from around the country in sending a joint letter to these officials as well, to make clear that none of our cities wants this intrusion.”

Mayor de Blasio’s Letter:

In light of the deeply troubling actions by federal law enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, and recent threats by the President to send federal law enforcement officers to New York City, let me be clear about New York City’s position. We do not consent. We object. Do not send the proposed agents and officers &om the Department of Homeland Security or other federal agencies to New York City. They have not been requested. They are not needed. And they have proved to bring way more hann than good.

To the degree that the President is concerned about fighting crime, New York City remains the safest big city in America, due in large part to the work of the New York City Police Department and our partners in our communities. Not only is the NYPD widely recognized for its training and policing expertise, our officers work hard every day to build trust with our residents. Community trust, as you know, is the bedrock of public safety. Sending in an army of rogue federal agents, unfamiliar with our streets and community leaders, to engage in tactics like those in Portland, will not help fight crime – it will undermine public trust in law enforcement. The nation is stunned by the actions of your agents in Portland, and such conduct will be unacceptable in New York City.

We are fully capable of protecting our City, which includes protecting federal properties in New York City. Our experience with handling everything from hostage situations to terrorist attacks have helped us create the necessary infrastructure to safeguard our people and property, and part of that is having strong partnerships with the US Marshals and other federal agents who, for years, have been protecting federal properties in New York City. Sending in a wave of unwelcome federal agents in military uniform and using military tactics will only undermine the important relationships that we have with the Marshals and others.

We are also concerned that the President’s statements on fighting crime and protecting federal properties are not the true motivation behind the surge of federal agents in our cities. Rather, it is a clear that these are political steps to quell dissent. As one of our nation’s great cities, New York City has a strong tradition of upholding the values of the U.S. Constitution, including the right to assembly and the right of free speech. Our nation is currently going through a deeply-needed conversation about the relationship between communities and law enforcement, and I stand by the rights of individuals to express their views peacefully and responsibly. What the federal agents are doing in Portland – arresting individuals without notice, the use of excessive force, and other apparent acts — is in violation of those rights and it is not welcome in New York City.

I am sending this letter because it is my duty to keep New York City safe, my duty to protect the rights of our residents, and my duty to do what is right. I am prepared to take all necessary actions to fulfill these responsibilities, as it is clear that the President’s proposed actions threaten the safety New Yorkers, the rights of New Yorkers, and the fundamental principles of our nation’s constitution.

Sincerely, Bill de Blasio

Cc: Seth D. DuChanne, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Audrey Strauss, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York

Audio of Governor Cuomo speaking about his conversation with Trump